PRINCIPAL/ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION POLICY
Recognizing
that our school district’s most valuable asset are its educators, the Board of
Education of Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools acknowledges the need for the
continuing evaluation of the performance of principals and school district
administrators employed by Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools and requires the
Superintendent to ensure that such evaluation is carried out as outlined in
this policy. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to develop
appropriate regulations and procedures to implement this policy and to ensure
that the policy, regulations, and procedures comply with Nebraska law and
Nebraska Department of Education regulations regarding the evaluation of
certificated personnel.
District
Mission: Our School with
family and community cooperation, promotes lifelong
learning to awaken, develop, and enhance the individual potential.
A. Purposes. The Board recognizes two major purposes for
the evaluation of the performance of principals and school district
administrators:
(1) To assist
principals and school district administrators in increasing their professional
effectiveness in order to improve teaching, learning, and leadership in the
district’s schools.
(2) To assess the performance of principals and school district
administrators so that the Board may make employment decisions as provided in
state law.
The evaluation of administrative
performance is intended to be a collaborative and continuing process. The evaluation process is based primarily on
the procedures defined below which provide for a consistent and equitable
appraisal of administrators’ duties and responsibilities. They do not, however, specifically include
the total range of expectations of the effective performance of the
administrative duties of each administrative position or of the administrator
assigned to such position. As a result,
additional data and information related to the respective administrative role
may be used to generate a comprehensive appraisal. Each administrator covered by this policy is
expected to be cooperative and professional, and to exhibit a willingness to
improve performance and to accept the constructive criticisms and suggestions of
the evaluator.
B. Applicability. This policy is
applicable to the following categories of certificated employees:
(1) Principals, defined as those certificated employees whose
primary assignment is to act as the chief administrator of one of the
district’s schools.
(2) Assistant principals and
other school/district administrators, defined as
certificated employees whose primary assignment is to provide administrative
services at the school or district level and whose job assignment requires a
Nebraska administrative and supervisory certificate. This category includes, but is not limited
to assistant principals, athletic/activity directors, assistant and associate
superintendents, curriculum and special services directors and coordinators at
the district level, and similar administrators.
(3) This policy does not apply to the Superintendent of schools
whose evaluation shall be described in a separate policy.
C. Definitions. For purposes of this policy, these terms
are defined as follows:
(1) Evaluation Cycle. The evaluation cycle is the period of time
during which a full summative evaluation of an employee’s performance takes
place. The evaluation cycle for
probationary principals and other administrators covered by this policy shall
be one school year. The evaluation cycle
for permanent (tenured) principals and administrators covered by this policy
may be up to three school years.
(2) Summative Evaluation. Summative evaluation takes place near the
end of the evaluation cycle and includes the assessment of all components of
the evaluation process.
(3) Formative Evaluation. Formative evaluation takes place at
specified points within the evaluation cycle and includes the rating of some
components of the evaluation process and may include a non-summative review of
other components.
(4) On-site
Observation. Observation of a principal or school/district
administrator shall be considered an on-site observation if it takes place in a
location where the principal or other administrator is conducting his/her
duties. Sites of observation may include
the school in which the administrator is assigned, other district sites, or
sites outside of the district’s properties in which the principal or
administrator is assigned to perform his/her duties. Observation of a principal at a district-level
meeting, for example, would be considered an on-site observation.
(5) Formal On-Site
Observation. The formal on-site
observation of a principal or school/district administrator shall include: (1) advance notice to the administrator of
the time and date of the observation;
(2) a pre-observation conference
with the observer; (3) observation for a
full observation period in the case of probationary employees and for a
duration determined by the observer in the case of permanent administrators; (4) a
post-observation conference with the observer, and (5) a written report summarizing strengths and
suggestions for improvement.
(6) Informal On-Site
Observation. Informal on-site
observations are less than a full observation period in duration, but somewhat
longer than a walk-through observation. A duration of 15-20 minutes may be appropriate. Informal observations may be pre- announced
or unannounced. They must include some
oral or written feedback to the administrator, but a formal post-conference and
written observation report are not required unless specific deficiencies are
noted. For example, a brief, informal
conversation or e-mail exchange would suffice to meet this requirement.
(7) Walk-through
On-Site Observation. Walk-through on-site observations are brief
school or work site visits, generally five to 10 minutes in duration for the
purpose of monitoring the administrative process. Such observations are generally unannounced
and do not include a conference or required written report. Brief oral or written feedback to the
administrator may be provided at the observer’s discretion, but is not required
unless specific deficiencies are noted.
(8) Full observation
period. For purposes of formal
observations of probationary administrators, the duration of the observation
should be for the equivalent of a typical instructional period as listed on the
normal daily schedule of the school in which the administrator is being
observed. For the purpose of formal
observation of probationary administrators who do not normally work in a
specific school, a full period observation shall consist of not less than 45
minutes. For the observation of
permanent administrators, the duration of the observation shall be determined
by the evaluator.
(9)
Action Plan. For purposes of principal and school/district
administrator evaluation, specific student achievement and school performance
results shall be assessed through the use of an Action Plan. In collaboration with his/her evaluator, each
principal or school/district administrator shall develop one or more Action
Plans each school year. The Action Plan
shall consist of a problem statement, data supporting the relevancy of the
problem statement, action plan goal, strategies designed to achieve the goal,
and means of measuring success. The principal/administrator
will receive an annual rating based on his/her implementation of strategies
designed to meet the action plan goal and his/her results in achieving the goal.
(10)
Individual Professional Development Plan. On an annual basis, each principal or
school/district administrator shall develop an Individual Professional
Development Plan based on the results of his/her most current evaluation. The plan must be developed in collaboration with
his/her evaluator and consist of one or more professional development goals,
strategies to achieve each the goals, and a means of measuring success. The
professional development plan may be informed by stakeholder perception data. The administrator will receive an annual
rating based on his/her success in implementing the professional development
strategies and achieving the goals.
(11)
Stakeholder Perception Data. Stakeholder perception data shall be
collected via school climate or stakeholder surveys at least once during each
evaluation cycle for each principal or school/district administrator. The administrator will not receive an
evaluation rating based on the survey results, but the results will provide
data to assist the evaluator and administrator in identifying areas of strength
and areas for professional growth.
Stakeholders may include the administrator’s supervisor, students,
teachers and other certificated personnel, non-certificated personnel, parents
and other community members. Stakeholder
surveys may consider overall leadership practices or specific practices related
to the administrator’s Action Plans.
(12)
Primary and Complementary
Evaluators. All
evaluators of principals and school/district administrators employed by the
district shall be certificated administrators.
The primary evaluator for each administrator is that administrator’s
supervisor. In the case of
administrators who are supervised by more than one supervisor, the
Superintendent shall designate one supervisor as the primary evaluator. Complementary evaluators are certificated
administrators, such as assistant superintendents or district-level
administrators, who have been designated to assist the primary evaluator.
(13)
Peer Assistance. By mutual agreement of
the principal or school/district administrator and his/her primary evaluator, a
peer observer may be asked to observe and provide feedback to the administrator
as part of a plan for improvement.
However, the results of such observation may not be used for evaluative
purposes.
(14)
Plan for Improvement. A rating of “Basic” in
any component of a principal or school/district administrator’s formative or
summative evaluation will result in the development of a specific Plan for
Improvement in that component. The Plan
for Improvement will outline the reason(s) for the rating of “Basic” and
provide recommendations for improvement and a timeline for implementing such
recommendations. The administrator and his/her evaluator shall review progress
on the Plan for Improvement at least once a semester.
(15)
Plan of Assistance. A rating of
“Unsatisfactory” in any component of a principal or school/district
administrator’s formative or summative evaluation will result in the
development of a Plan of Assistance. The Plan of Assistance will include a
description of the deficiencies that led to the “Unsatisfactory” rating,
specific means for the correction of the deficiencies, and an adequate timeline
for implementing the required improvements.
As appropriate, the plan may also include resources and sources of
assistance to help the employee make the necessary corrections. The Plan of Assistance shall be reviewed at
least quarterly by the administrator and the evaluator.
D. Evaluative Criteria. By adopting the evaluative criteria listed
below, the Board ensures that all principals or school/district administrators
are evaluated on personal and professional conduct in accordance with Nebraska
Department of Education Rule 10.
(1) Leadership Practice. Leadership practice will be evaluated based on
the Effective Practices contained in the Nebraska
Principal Performance Framework. In order to develop appropriate evaluative
criteria for administrators who are not principals, the Superintendent shall
review the Effective Practices and make such additions, deletions, or revisions
as are necessary.
(2) Action Plans. The impact of a principal or school/district
administrator on student achievement or school or program performance shall be
evaluated based on annual Action Plans developed jointly by the administrator
and his/her evaluator. The
Superintendent shall propose appropriate rubrics to assess administrator
performance on such Action Plans.
(3) Professional Development. The professional development of principals
and school/district administrators shall be evaluated through an annual rating
of the administrator’s Individual Professional Development Plan. The Superintendent shall propose appropriate
rubrics to assess performance on such plans.
(4) (Optional). Additional Local Standards. The Superintendent shall propose to the
Board for adoption such additional local standards for principals and
school/district administrators as may be appropriate.
(5) Overall Performance. Based on the criteria above, an overall
performance rating shall be determined by the evaluator for each administrator
as part of the administrator’s summative evaluation.
E. Levels of Performance. The performance of principals and
school/district administrators shall be rated at four levels of performance on
the evaluative criteria listed below.
The ratings terms and general criteria for their application are:
(1) Exemplary—In the judgment of
the evaluator, the principal or school/district administrator meets district
performance standards for all evaluative criteria and exceeds expected
performance in many respects. He/she is
actively engaged in professional improvement and provides leadership to other
school/district administrators.
(2) Proficient—In
the judgment of the evaluator, the principal or school/district administrator
meets district performance standards for the evaluative criteria on an overall
basis and is actively engaged in professional improvement and school and
district leadership efforts.
(3) Basic—In the judgment of the
evaluator, the principal or school/district administrator meets district
performance standards for most evaluative criteria and is satisfactorily
participating in an improvement plan for those criteria rated
below “Proficient”..
(4) Unsatisfactory—In the judgment of the evaluator, the principal or
school/district administrator does not meet district performance standards for
a significant segment of the evaluative criteria and improvement efforts have
been inadequate.
F. Evaluation Procedures.
1. Annual Notice. The Superintendent shall annually ensure
that principal or school/district administrators are made aware of the
evaluation policy and procedures in writing by including it in an
Administrative Handbook or other notice to administrators.
2. Evaluation Cycle/Sequence of Evaluation
Activities. A Principal/School or
District Administrator Evaluation Procedures Sequence is included as an
Appendix to this policy.
(a)
Probationary Principals or
School/District Administrators. Principals or school/district
administrators in probationary status shall have an annual evaluation cycle
consisting of a formative evaluation during the first semester and a summative
evaluation during the second semester.
Each semester’s evaluation shall include a formal observation for a full
observation period as described in this policy and ratings based on the
Nebraska Effective Practices and the district’s local standards. Additional informal and walk-through
observations are encouraged. In
addition, the second semester summative evaluation shall include ratings on the
administrator’s Action Plan performance and, in the second probationary year
and subsequently, a rating on Individual Professional Development Plan
performance as well as an overall rating based on the evaluator’s judgment of
the administrator’s performance on all components of the evaluation
process.
(b)
Permanent (Tenured)
Principals or School/District Administrators. Principals or
school/district administrators in permanent status may have up to a three-year
evaluation cycle as determined by his/her evaluator. At any point, the evaluator can return the
administrator to an annual evaluation cycle if the administrator’s performance
warrants. A three-year evaluation cycle
shall include two years of annual formative evaluations and one year of
summative evaluation. The formative
years shall include informal/walk-through on-site observations (as defined in
this policy) with the number and duration of observations to be determined by
the evaluator, a rating on Action Plan performance, a rating on Individual
Professional Development Plan performance, and a rating on the district’s local
standards, if applicable. The summative
year shall include, in addition to the ratings described above, at least one
formal on-site observation (as defined in this policy) and conference with the
duration of the observation to be determined by the evaluator, summative ratings on the Nebraska
Effective Practices, and an overall rating based on the evaluator’s judgment of
the administrator’s performance on all components of the evaluation process.
3. Gathering
Evaluation data. The district’s
evaluation system is based on data from multiple measures of principal or
school/district administrator performance, including but not limited to the
following:
(a)
Direct observation of work
performance. The evaluation of all principals or
school/district administrators covered by this policy will be based in part on direct observation
of the administrator performing his/her duties. The Board encourages multiple observations of
performance throughout the school year, including formal, informal and
walk-through observations, with some observations targeted to elements of the
administrator’s annual Action Plan(s). For probationary administrators, each semester’s evaluation
process will include at least one formal on-site observation (as defined in
this policy) for a full observation period. For permanent principals or
school/district administrators, at least one formal on-site observation of
performance with the duration to be determined by the evaluator shall be
conducted during the summative year of the evaluation cycle. Informal and walk-through observations with
the frequency and duration to be determined by the evaluator shall be conducted
during the formative years of the evaluation cycle.
Per Nebraska law, if deficiencies are noted in the work
performance of any probationary or permanent administrator, the evaluator shall
provide the administrator at the time of the observation with a list of
deficiencies, a list of suggestions for improvement, assistance in overcoming
the deficiencies, and follow-up evaluations and assistance when deficiencies
remain.
(b)
The collection of data/artifacts. Evaluators shall endeavor to collect a wide
variety of data regarding administrator performance including artifacts such as
student, parent/community, and faculty communications, agendas, schedules and other management communications
if applicable, student achievement data
analyses, feedback to teachers following observations, and such other reports,
plans, and similar documents as the evaluator determines to be relevant.
(c)
Stakeholder perception
data. At least once during the evaluation cycle,
typically during the summative year, the evaluator shall arrange for the
sampling of stakeholder perception via a survey or other appropriate
means. Surveys may be developed by the
district or by other entities. The
Superintendent shall approve the specific survey or other instruments to be
administered and shall approve the procedures for administration. The size and
composition of the sample shall be determined by the evaluator after
consultation with the principal or school/district administrator. Survey
procedures must ensure the privacy and confidentiality of stakeholder
responses. The principal or
school/district administrator will not be rated on the survey results. Rather, the information gathered shall be
used to help the evaluator identify areas of strength and areas for
professional development as well as serving as feedback for planning. The Board encourages the gathering of
stakeholder responses as part of the Action Plan and professional development
processes and other administrative initiatives.
(d)
Student achievement/
school or program performance data. On an annual basis, principals or school/district administrators
shall develop and implement Action Plans designed to improve student
achievement or school or program performance.
For the 2013-14 school year, each principal or
school/district administrator participating in the Nebraska Evaluation Model
Pilot Project shall develop and implement one Action Plan. For subsequent years, each principal or
school/district administrator shall develop Action Plans for the school
year. The Superintendent shall develop
procedures for creating, implementing, and evaluating Action Plans and shall
ensure that all participating administrators and evaluators have received training
in the Action Plan process. The
evaluation of Action Plans shall include an assessment of the quality and rigor
of the plan, the implementation of strategies designed to achieve the plan’s
goals, and the plan’s results.
(e)
Evidence of professional
development. On an annual basis, the principal or school/district
administrator shall develop and implement an Individual Professional
Development Plan based on the results of the administrator’s most recent
summative evaluation. The rationale for
this component is that the professional development goals and activities should
arise out of professional development needs identified during the evaluation
process and which are closely linked to the evaluation process. The development of an Individual Professional
Development Plan directly linked to the summative evaluation, does not preclude
the existence of schoolwide professional development activities in which principals
or school/district administrators are expected to participate or the creation
specific individual professional development goals and activities that are not
a formal part of the evaluation process.
In the initial two years of implementation
of this evaluation system, those principals or school/district administrators in
the formative year(s) of the cycle shall develop Individual Professional
Development Plans in collaboration with their evaluators. These plans will be reviewed annually, but
will not receive an evaluative rating.
Following the principal or school/district administrator’s first
summative evaluation, he/she will develop an IPD Plan in collaboration with
his/her evaluator and will receive an evaluative rating on progress in
achieving the goals contained in the plan at the end of the following year and
each year subsequently. The Individual
Professional Development Plan will be revised annually based on evaluation
results.
The Superintendent shall develop
procedures for creating, implementing, and evaluating Individual Professional
Development Plans and shall ensure that all participating administrators and
evaluators have received training in the Individual Professional Development
Plan process. The evaluation of the
Individual Professional Development Plan shall include an assessment of the
quality and rigor of the professional development goals, the implementation of
strategies designed to achieve the goals, and the plan’s results.
(f)
Self-assessment/reflection. Self-assessment and
reflection is a component of the evaluation system. The Superintendent shall develop or adopt
appropriate procedures and documents for such a process for teachers/educational
specialists.
4. Conferences and Reports. The Board encourages frequent conferences
and the sharing of both oral and written feedback between principals or
school/district administrators and evaluators. Observation conferences should
focus on the Effective Practices contained in the Nebraska Principal Performance Framework and such other performance
standards as may be relevant. Formal
on-site observations (as defined in this policy) require a pre-conference,
post-conference and written observation report; informal on-site observations
require some type of oral or written feedback but not a full post-conference
and report, and walk-through on-site observations do not require feedback. For
any on-site observation, a conference and written report is required if
specific deficiencies are noted.
Conferences to review progress on Action Plans and conferences to
reviewing progress on each administrator’s Individual Professional Development
Plan should be held at intervals throughout the year. The Procedures Sequence (Appendix I) suggests
appropriate times for these. For probationary
principals or school/district administrators, a formative evaluation conference
and the completion of the formative evaluation document is to be held near the
end of the first semester of each probationary year. A summative evaluation conference and
completion of the summative evaluation document is to be held during the second
semester of each probationary year. For
a permanent principal or school/district administrator, formative evaluation
conferences and the completion of the formative evaluation document are to be
held near the end of each formative evaluation year. A summative evaluation conference and the
completion of the summative evaluation document is to
be held during the second semester of the summative evaluation year. A copy of any written feedback prepared in
conjunction with observations and conferences shall be shared with the principal
or school/district administrator and retained as part of the administrator’s
evaluation file. However, this
provision shall not require evaluators to share notes or other work product
that do not become part of the employee’s evaluation file.
5. Procedures for
addressing deficiencies in performance.
If deficiencies are noted in any observation, the evaluator is to
provide the principal or school/district administrator at the time of the
observation with a list of the deficiencies, a list of suggestions for
improvement, and assistance in overcoming the deficiencies, and follow-up
evaluations and assistance when deficiencies remain. A description of the
deficiencies and suggestions for improvement shall be provided both orally and
in writing by the evaluator in a timely fashion following the observation and a
copy of this report shall be retained as part of the administrator’s evaluation
file. The principal or school/district
administrator shall acknowledge receipt of the evaluator’s report.
A rating
of “Basic” in any component of a principal or school/district administrator’s formative
or summative evaluation will result in a specific Plan for Improvement in that
component. The Plan for Improvement
will outline the reason(s) for the rating of “Basic” and provide
recommendations for improvement and a timeline for implementing such
recommendations. The Plan for
Improvement shall be reviewed by the principal or school/district administrator
and his/her evaluator at least once per semester. An overall rating of “Basic” on a summative
evaluation will require, in addition to an overall Plan for Improvement, that
the principal or school/district administrator be placed on an annual summative
evaluation cycle.
A rating of “Unsatisfactory” in
any component of a principal or school/district administrator’s formative or
summative evaluation will result in the development of a Plan of Assistance.
The plan will include a description of the deficiencies that led to the
“Unsatisfactory” rating, specific means for the correction of the deficiencies,
and an adequate timeline for implementing the required improvements. As appropriate, the plan may also include
resources and sources of assistance to help the employee make the necessary
corrections. The Plan of Assistance
shall be reviewed at least quarterly by the principal or school/district
administrator and the evaluator to determine progress in correcting the
deficiencies noted. Principals or
school/district administrators participating in a Plan of Assistance shall
receive a summative evaluation based on the relevant components once per
semester.
The
Superintendent shall develop procedures and documents to be used for
implementing Plans for Improvement and Plans of Assistance.
6. Written response. Principals or school/district administrators may
submit a written response to any formative or summative evaluation document,
observation report, or any other written report which has become part of their
evaluation file. Such responses shall be
attached to the document being responded to and shall be retained in the
evaluation file. Responses shall be filed within 60 days of the receipt of the
original evaluation document.
7. Training of
Evaluators. All of the district’s
evaluators shall possess a valid Nebraska Administrative and Supervisory
Certificate and be trained in the use of the evaluation system and its forms
and procedures. The Superintendent shall
determine the nature of appropriate training for evaluators and arrange for all
evaluators to receive such training prior to participating in evaluations.
8. Development and
revision of documents. The
Superintendent shall be responsible for the development and revision of forms
and documents necessary to implement this policy. The development and revision of such forms
and procedures will not require Board approval.
9. Appendices:
Appendix I:
Principal/School or District Administrator Evaluation Procedures
Sequence
Adopted March 20, 2006
Revised: November 21,
2011
Revised: June 17, 2013
APPENDIX I
PRINCIPAL/SCHOOL OR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION PROCEDURES
SEQUENCE
The Nebraska Leadership Committee has recommended a Principal or
School/District Administrator evaluation cycle of up to three
years. Below are the sequences of
activities required to evaluate probationary administrators twice per year and
permanent (tenured) administrators on a two- or three-year cycle. Note that Principals or School/District
Administrators performing at a less than proficient level can be moved to a
semester-long or year-long cycle at any time by making the timeline adjustments
accordingly. Note that Action Plans are
developed at the beginning of the year and evaluated at the end of the year;
Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP) are developed at the end of
the year following a summative evaluation and evaluated at the end of the
following year. This is because IPD
plans are linked to the result of the previous evaluation.
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PROBATIONARY
PRINCIPALS/SCHOOL OR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS
(One-Year Cycle) |
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Semester 1 Activities: |
Semester 2 Activities: |
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TENURED
PRINCIPAL/ADMIN. FORMATIVE YEAR(S) |
TENURED
PRINCIPAL/ADMIN. SUMMATIVE YEAR |
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RULE
10 CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE EVALUATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Checklist
The written procedures for the certificated evaluation school board policy includes:
_____ 007.06A1a Provide for communicating the evaluation procedure annually, in writing, to those being evaluated
_____ 007.06A1b A description of the duration and frequency of observations and written evaluations for probationary and permanent certificated employees
_____ Duration of observation for probationary certificated employees
_____ Frequency of observations and evaluations for probationary certificated employees
_____ Duration of observation for permanent certificated employees
_____ Frequency of observations and evaluations for permanent certificated employees
_____ Superintendent evaluation twice during the first year of employment and at least once annually thereafter pursuant to §79-8828(2)
_____ 007.06A1c Contain criteria for certificated employee evaluation which includes:
_____ 007.06A1c(1) instructional performance (applicable to teachers only)
_____ 007.06A1c(2) classroom organization and management (applicable to teachers only)
_____ 007.06A1c(3) personal and professional conduct
_____ 007.06A1d Provide for written communication to the teacher specifying:
_____ (1) deficiencies
_____ (2) a means for correcting the deficiencies
_____ (3) a timeline for implementing the
suggested improvements
_____ 007.06A1e Provide for a written certificated employee response to the evaluation
_____ 007.06A1f A description of the district plan for training evaluators
_____ Copies of the board certificated employee evaluation policy, the evaluation model (procedures), and the board minutes approving the policies and procedures have been submitted.
Adopted: June 17, 2013